CSNChicago.com preps reporter "Edgy" Tim O'Halloran spotlights 100 high school football teams in 100 days. The first 75 team profiles will focus on teams making strides across Chicagoland and elsewhere in the state. Starting Jul. 31, we'll unveil the @CSNPreps Top 25 Power Rankings, leading up to kickoff on Friday, Aug. 25.
School: Phillips
Head coach: Troy McAllister
How they fared in 2016: 11-2 (5-0 CPL Illini Land of Lincoln Conference), made the Class 4A state playoff field, beat Kewanee, Aurora Central Catholic and Herscher before losing to Johnsburg in the semifinal round.
[MORE: CSN Preps Preseason Power Rankings - No. 14 Mount Carmel]
2017 regular season schedule:
Aug. 26 vs. Loyola Academy
Sept. 1 @ Richards
Sept. 9 vs. Simeon *Gately*
Sept. 17 @ Westinghouse
Sept. 22 vs. Vocational *Mandrake*
Sept. 29 vs. South Shore *Mandrake*
Oct. 6 vs. Raby *Mandrake*
Oct. 13 @ Solorio
Oct. 20 CPL Playoffs
Biggest storyline: How well can Phillips fare in the regular season and then potentially in Class 3A this year?
Names to watch this season: senior QB J'Bore Gibbs (South Dakota State), senior RB/LB Craig Elmore
Biggest holes to fill: Phillips has experience back all over the field, but the Wildcats will need to replace three graduated starters on the offensive line.
EDGY's early take: The Wildcats just seem to find a way to reload year in and year out and will once again be one of the top teams in the Chicago Public League this season. Class 3A? According to the preseason projections (final classes aren't determined until Playoff Pairings Night), the Wildcats appear to be headed towards Class 3A after being a power in Class 4A over the past four seasons. Keep an eye on the early schedule for the Wildcats which is loaded and includes 8A power Loyola, 6A power Richards and a Week 3 showdown with Simeon.